Following our discussions on the development of Pro Tools 12 over 2015 in Podcast 199 - our review of 2015, I thought it would be useful to lay out exactly what features are still only available in Pro Tools 12.4HD. To help see the transition I have included what was in Pro Tools 11 Native and HD too.
Pro Tools Features | 12 HD | 12 | 11 HD | 11 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum sample rate supported (hardware dependent) | 32-bit, 192 kHz | 32-bit, 192 kHz | 32-bit, 192 kHz | 32-bit, 192 kHz |
Maximum I/O (hardware dependent) | 256 | 32 | 256 | 32 |
Maximum simultaneous audio tracks @ 48/96/192 kHz | 256/128/64 | 128/64/32 | 256/128/64 | 96/48/24 |
(up to 768/384/192) | (mono or stereo) | (up to 768 voices, hardware dependent) | (mono or stereo) | |
Maximum inputs (hardware dependent) | 192 | 32 | 192 | 32 |
Audio recording (maximum simultaneous tracks) | 256 | 32 | 256 | 32 |
Instrument | 512 | 512 | 128 | 64 |
MIDI | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 |
Auxiliary | 512 | 128 | 512 | 160 |
Busses | Unlimited | Unlimited | 256 | 256 |
Video | 64 | 1 | 64 | 1 |
Loop record/track comping | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
MIDI Editor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Sibelius Score Editor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Elastic Time and Elastic Pitch | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Automatic Delay Compensation | 16k | 16k | ✓ | ✓ |
Beat Detective | Multitrack | Multitrack | Multitrack | Multitrack |
QuickPunch | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
AAF/OMF/MXF file interchange | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Workspace | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Clip Gain | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
MP3 option | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Export to iTunes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Export to SoundCloud | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Offline bounce | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Timecode Ruler | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Full Import Session Data | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Variable stereo pan depths | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Field recorder workflows | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Avid Video Engine | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Surround mixing | ✓ | ✓ | ||
(up to 7.1) | (up to 7.1) | |||
Advanced metering with gain reduction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Satellite Link | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Extended RAM/disk cache | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
TrackPunch / DestructivePunch | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Input monitoring | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
VCA mixing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Solo bus AFL/PFL | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Advanced audio editing (Scrub Trim, Replace Region, Fit to Marks, Matching Channels, Back and Play, Auto Fades, and more) | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Advanced automation(Punch, Capture, Write on stop, Write to all enabled, Automatch, Preview, and more) | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Advanced video editing(multiple video tracks, multiple video playlists, and video editing tools) | ✓ | ✓ |
In summary, other than the zero latency record path which is at the centre of the Pro Tools HDX feature set, you still need Pro Tools HD to work in surround, to use the field recorder workflow, advanced audio editing, advanced automation and advanced video editing.
In terms of I/O and track count, if you want to record more than 32 tracks simultaneously you still need Pro Tools HD, the playback track is doubled at 256 tracks with PTHD and you can have up to 64 video tracks in PTHD as opposed to 1 video track in Pro Tools Native. In addition Heat is an HD only feature, although not a deal breaker for me personally.
In Podcast 199 Russ asked those of us still using Pro Tools HD if we would still go for Pro Tools HDX now and for me the answer would still be yes. Having that security of zero latency on large sessions is at the core of my decision with continuing access to DSP plug-ins. Other HD only features which are important to me like surround tracking and mixing I could get from an HD Native system but with an HD Native system I loose that zero latency record path so for me it would still have to be a Pro Tools HDX system.
However both James and Dan said on Podcast 199, that they would probably now choose an Apollo based solution to give the the DSP processing and work with Pro Tools Native. But as we discussed in Podcast 199 we are seeing much more diversity in the choice of tools we each select to enable us to do what we do.
Following on from the discussions in Podcast 199 and writing this article I am no longer concerned about the value of my Pro Tools HDX system. Zero latency alone would still mean I would stay on HDX, however the other HD only features like surround, field recorder workflow, and advanced automation are features that matter to me. and finally the number of simultaneous inputs in Pro Tools Native at 32, would make me nervous.
But that is me and my needs. What about you? Where do you stand? Have you changed your mind about HD v Native with the changes in Pro Tools 12?